


Illusions of Someday

by pinkevilbob



Series: Ahead by a Century [2]
Category: Sagas of Sundry: Dread (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon Fix-It, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-18 22:49:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20320813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkevilbob/pseuds/pinkevilbob
Summary: Tanner's been back for a year and the group goes to the first screening of a film.





	Illusions of Someday

**Author's Note:**

> It's Jenn's birthday!!! She wanted a Dread fic, so I wrote one! It's a sequel to Ahead by a Century(or a Decade) and you'll need to read that one for this one to make sense.

It was a grand premiere of what was certain to be the film that would change all of cinematic history. Or at least that’s what Kayden kept saying. Really, it was just the five of them in Darby’s and Raina’s place watching Kayden’s homemade horror film. This would be the first one that he actually wrote and directed, and he kept bragging about it in an over the top fashion. Probably so that if the girls hated it he could just treat it like a joke anyways.

“Of course it’s the greatest film ever. Tanner was the cinematographer,” Sat said as she ruffled Tanner’s hair.

Tanner swatted at her hand, but he didn’t mind too much. He had gotten used to the little touches that reaffirmed that yes he was still there and really alive. And if he was being honest, Tanner liked them too.

Up until a year ago, Tanner had been dead for ten years. And with every breath Tanner remembered that fact, but it wasn’t so bad coming back. True, he couldn’t see his parents or let them know that he was back, but it was simpler that way. In some ways, Tanner fit in better in the 90s than he did back in the 80s. He was in the local college’s photography program(with the use of a fake identity Kayden got the paperwork for) and even made friends almost as naturally as he did when he met Sat. But those new friends were no replacement for Sat, Kayden, Raina or Darby.

“Tanner, get off the couch,” Darby said as she entered the living room.

Tanner rolled his eyes. “I love you too, Darby.”

“Not you human Tanner. I meant dog Tanner.”

The wiry-furred mutt Tanner panted happily on the couch his tongue rolling out. 

“I still don’t know if I should be honored or insulted that you named him after me,” Tanner said giving his namee a pat.

“An insult,” Kayden said. “That thing shouldn’t even count as a dog.”

Raina smacked Kayden’s arm and Tanner the dog growled at him. “Be nice. Tanner’s a rescue.”

“Tanner’s the devil more like it,” Kayden grumbled. “And still on the couch.”

Leaning over the back of the couch, Darby scooped up the dog Tanner. “So, what’s so special about this movie? You’ve been going on about it for the whole month.”

“I don’t want to spoil the surprise,” Kayden said.

Sat leaned into human Tanner’s shoulder. “Come on, Tanner, can’t you tell us about this oh so secret project?”

Tanner leaned back into her. “I signed a non-disclosure agreement.” He still wasn’t sure how Kayden talked him into working on the film.

Apparently while Tanner was gone, Kayden got into horror films in a major way. The video store he was the manager of had the largest collection of horror movies in the state. The girls hated them, but Kayden would talk about them for hours with Tanner. About how the films had rules and what was the same and different from their infamous camping trip. Raina called it morbid, Darby said it was insulting to the Goatman, and Sat would just leave the room whenever the subject came up. But they all agreed to watch Kayden’s movie. “But just because Tanner helped with it,” Sat would add.

“Ladies and Tanner,” Kayden said standing in front of the tv. “It is with great honor that I present to you my magnum opus Attack of Torture Zombies. This is a commentary on the inequality created by-”

“Just turn on the movie,” Darby said. The rest of the group agreed with her.

Kayden grumbled as he popped the tape into the vcr. “Everybody’s a critic.” He sat down on the couch next to Sat. Sat reached out for Kayden’s hand and held it while leaning into Tanner.

The opening began with some teenagers partying in a ‘cemetery’(Kayden couldn’t convince the gravekeeper to let them film there, but Tanner was not complaining. He’d already spent more than enough time around the dead). Bourbon was spilt on an open grave which apparently causes zombies. Tanner had to admit that it was not a good film by any description, and he helped make it. But it was fun working on it with Kayden.

“You do know that this is not how any of this works right?” Darby asked. “That’s not how you get zombies.”

“Shh. Artistic liberty. Now quiet, this is our hero’s big entrance,” Kayden whispered.

Tanner could feel his face already turning red. Generic punk music played as an old, beat-up truck pulled onto screen and the hero stepped out of it; Tanner.

Raina gasped. “You’re the star?” Darby and Sat stared at Tanner along with her. 

“The guy they got for the role bailed at the last second, and I was the only person available to play the part,” Tanner said wanting to sink into the cushions. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Not that big of a deal? You saved the film. Not that it needed that much saving,” Kayden said.

The Tanner on the tv looked around and sniffed the air. “Zombies. I’m going to have my work cut out for me.”

Sat snorted and the Tanner on the couch elbowed her. “It’s not like I wrote it,” Tanner grumbled.

“No, no you’re delivery was,” Sat had to fight back a fit of giggles, “great.”

The rest of the movie was filled with dumb lines and cheesy special effects. Sat kept cracking up, Darby would point every single thing that was impossible, and Raina acted like a proud mom at a first grade play everytime Tanner was on the screen. “You did such a good job,” she said as tv Tanner nearly dropped a hatchet(it wasn’t in the script, but they had done that scene 46 times and ended up having to settle with what they had).

Soon the movie came to the big zombie battle. Kayden subtly got up and turned on the lights. “Just setting the mood.”

There were only five survivors left and a swarm of zombies. The hero of film stepped forward and told the rest to run. His friends argued with him to join them, but he refused. “It’s less than a mile to my truck. Go! I’ll be fine.” It was probably the only part of the film that Tanner’s acting could be considered good. With a not very believable howl, the zombies swarmed the hero.

Sat held tightly onto Tanner’s hand. “Kayden? Why would you? How could-” She couldn’t even finish the question.

“Keep watching.” Kayden was pale. Nearly as pale as he was on the day of filming. The zombies weren’t particularly well done, and Kayden made a point of introducing each one to Tanner as an attempt to cement how fake all of this was. At first, Tanner thought it was going to feel like how it did when he died, but when it came down to it, it was nothing like being killed and torn apart by zombies. It was probably the funnest day of the shoot for Tanner. Most of the zombies were really nice and he even ended up going on a date with one of them. For Kayden though, it was a completely different story. That whole day it looked like Kayden was on the verge of puking, and every time they stopped filming Kayden would run over to Tanner examining him and making sure he was okay. “Just keep watching.”

The Tanner on the screen was surrounded by zombies and it looked like it was going to be the end of him. Suddenly an arrow appeared in the zombie, then another and another. The hero’s friends had came back with bows and arrows and were able to clear a path for the hero to escape.

The girls all cheered so loudly that Tanner the dog started to howl along with them. Tanner the human’s face turned red again. “You saved him,” Sat said pressing a kiss on Kayden’s temple.

“Oh, like any of you’d ever speak to me again if I dared to kill Tanner,” Kayden said trying to play it off like a joke, but tears shone in his eyes and he kept looking over at Tanner to make sure that he was still there. 

On the screen, Tanner saved the day one last time and the credits ran. “So, what do you guys think?” Kayden asked.

“Well, the director’s a hack, but the lead actor’s cute,” Sat said.

Kayden dramatically leaned backwards. “I’m wounded. How dare you sully my name?!”

“I actually liked it,” Darby said. 

Kayden quickly sat up and leaned forward. “Really? You did?”

“Yeah, it wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be.”

“I will take that completely backhanded compliment,” Kayden said with a mock bow. His adoring audience cheered.

“You get a bow too, Tanner.” Sat got up so that Tanner could stand. “You are the star after all.”

Tanner shrugged as he stood up. “I wasn’t that good. I was really just there for the cinematography.”

“Which was very nice,” Raina said.

Tanner rolled his eyes and started to sit back down, but Sat blocked his way. “No way dude. Take your bow.”

He sighed but bowed with a wave of his arm. Clapping filled the room. “You guys are so-” But he didn’t finish it. There were too many words that could describe his friends. For that night though, the word was ‘perfect’. Not that he’d let them know that.


End file.
